Thanksgiving is a day for family, fun, and frantically cooking a gourmet meal from scratch. This year, if you’re ditching the cookbooks or experiencing a burnt turkey-related emergency, local restaurants are offering an alternative. Dine in for Thanksgiving-themed specials, or order ahead and pick up a fully prepared meal that’s big enough to feed the whole family and tasty enough to please even the pickiest relative.
Restaurants including The Cross-Eyed Cricket, Comfort by the Cross-Eyed Cricket, Mele’s Diner, Friendship Diner, Walton’s Smokehouse and Southern Kitchen, and The Carousel Restaurant in Evansville and the Red Geranium in New Harmony, Indiana, each will have holiday hours on Nov. 25 and offer curated Thanksgiving menus and packages. Some reservations are required.
At Comfort (230 Main St.), Thanksgiving dinner is offered from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. For $30 per adult, $25 for seniors, and $20 for children ages 10 and under, patrons can choose from two all-you-can-eat options: family-style table service in the main dining area or a buffet feast in the Grand Ballroom on the fourth floor.
Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, yams, dressing, cranberry, choice of pumpkin or pecan pie, and a drink are all included in The Carousel Restaurant’s (5115 Monroe Ave.) holiday meal for $14.99 per adult and $6.99 per child 10 years old and younger.
Rather dine at home? Order ahead and pick up your finished meal just in time for the holiday at eateries including Savannah’s Cafe (order by Nov. 21), Los Alfaro’s Latin Restaurant (order by Nov. 23), Read St. BBQ (order by noon on Nov. 19), Red Geranium (order by Nov. 22), and The Cross-Eyed Cricket.
There’s only one more day to place a holiday order at Read St. BBQ (421 Read St.), which must be picked up by noon on Thanksgiving Day. Choose from meat by the pound for $15, classic sides by the quart for $8, and a choice of bread ranging from $3 to $8.50. Snag a $100 family meal for 6-8 people with 2 pounds of smoked ham, 2 pounds of smoked turkey, 3 quarts of sides, one bread option, and one pie.
For $160, The Red Geranium (504 North St., New Harmony, Indiana) will cook a full Thanksgiving dinner to-go to be picked up by 11 a.m. Nov. 25. Serving six people, the meal includes one 10-pound roasted turkey, garlic gravy, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, sweet corn, pumpkin pie, and 12 rolls, and ham or roasted beef for an additional $45.
